President Obama awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former U.S. President Bill Clinton in the East Room at the White House.
It was a chance to pay tribute to one President while honoring another.
President Obama draped a Presidential Medal of Freedom around the neck of former President Bill Clinton half a century after the founder of the award — President Kennedy — was assassinated.
Oprah Winfrey receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Kennedy never got to present one of the medals himself and that sad fact was on Obama’s mind as he bestowed the nation’s highest civilian awards to Clinton and 15 other worthy Americans.
The President and First Lady Michelle Obama arrive for the Presidential Medal of Freedom presentation.
“This year it’s just a little more special because this marks the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy establishing this award,” Obama said.
President Barack Obama awards Gloria Steinem, co-founder of Ms. magazine, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington.
JFK was an inspiration to Obama, but even more so to Clinton, who was 16 when he shook hands with Kennedy back in 1963.
Watching Clinton receive the award was Kennedy’s grandson, Jack, and Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert Kennedy, who also was assassinated.
The Obamas and the Clintons will visit the eternal flame at the gravesite of President John F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery.
Other recipients ranged from country music star Loretta Lynn and women’s rights leader Gloria Steinem to retired Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, coaching legend Dean Smith, and former Indiana Senator Richard Lugar, a Republican who mentored Obama when he was an Illinois senator.
President Barack Obama awards country music legend Loretta Lynn the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Wednesday, Nov. 20.
Two recipients from Obama’s hometown of Chicago got some extra ribbing from the Commander in Chief.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is seen on baseball Hall of Fame player Ernie Banks at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, November 20.
Obama noted that TV queen Oprah Winfrey was urged to change her name to “Susie” when she was first starting out.
“I got the same advice,” said Obama before offering a quick clarification. “They didn’t say I should be named Susie, but they suggested I should change my name.”
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is seen on journalist Ben Bradlee at a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, November 20.
A devoted Chicago White Sox fan, Obama also got some chuckles when he honored Ernie Banks, longtime star of the rival Chicago Cubs, who haven’t won the World Series in 105 years.
President John F. Kennedy founded the award. “This year it’s just a little more special because this marks the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy establishing this award,” Obama said.
“Ernie became known as much for his 512 homeruns as for his cheer and his optimism and his eternal faith that someday the Cubs would go all the way,” said Obama. “And that’s, that’s serious belief. That is something that even a White Sox fan could respect.”
Posthumous awards went to Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, and boundary-breaking astronaut Sally Ride.
U.S. President Barack Obama honored Kennedy’s legacy as he awarded the nation’s highest civilian awards to Clinton and 15 other worthy Americans.
The surviving partners of Rustin and Ride accepted the medals on their behalf.
Also receiving awards were former federal judge Patricia Wald, jazz great Arturo Sandoval, psychologist Daniel Kahneman, minister Cordy Tindell “C.T.” Vivian, and chemist Mario Molina.
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